Doughnut cutter and former



Jan. 20, 1953 E. H. AGEL 2,625,891

f DOUGHNUT CUTTER AND FORMER Filed April 2. 1949 ||Ill www A4 Mm,

Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED 'STATES errar oFFIcE DOUGHNUT CUTTER ANDFORMER Edward H. Nagel, Long Beach, Calif., assigner to Coma F. Norris,Long Beach, Calif.

Application April 2, 1949, Serial No. 85,128

(Cl. IIN-14) 9 Claims.

This invention is an improvement on a copending application, SerialNumber 740,224, led April 8, 194'?, in which I am a co-inventor.

This invention relates to an improved doughnut dough dispenser whereinthe dough is automatically extruded, formed and cut to produce acompleteidoughnut ready for frying.

object of lmy. invention is to provide a doughnut dough ldispenser ofthe character stated, in which the `parts can be readily disassembledfor the purpose of cleaning the various internal parts. f

Another object ofmy invention is to provide a novel doughnut doughdispenser of the character stated, in ywhich an automatic valve isprovided to retain a constant quantity of dough adjacent the 'outlet ofthe dispenser so that a quantity of dough 'is Aalways ready't'o beextruded and formed.

A feature of my invention is to provide a novel doughnut dough dispenserof the character statect in which vthe automatic valve which retainsthedough adjacent the outlet is so'constructed that expansion of the doughdue to heat will b'elpermitted topass this valve.y

Other objects, advantages and features of invention -mayV appear fromthe accompanying drawingjthe subjoinedrdetailed description and theappended claims.

vIn theldrawin'gt' if vFigure l is a longitudinal sectional view of mydoughnut dough dispenser, showing the valves in closed position,V f

Figure 2 is a viewy similar to Figure l, but with the valves in openposition.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my improved dough dispenserconsists of a cylinder I, which is mounted in a tank containing thedough, as disclosed inthe co-pending application set forth above. Thecylinder I is xedly mounted in the tank and protrudes from the bottom ofthe tank. A sleeve 2 is removably mounted in thetop of the cylinder Iandlis held iiXedly inposition by the set screw. v A plurality of ports4 are formed adjacent the upper end of the sleeve 2 and these ports areopen to the dough in the tank, that is. dough can freely flow throughthese ports at all times. The dough llows into the ports 4 by gravity. Apiston 5 is reciprocally mounted Within the sleeve 2 and this piston isreciprocatedpwithin the sleeve by suitable means whereby its bottom endmay be moved 'from a point above the ports 4 to a point below 'theseports. Accordingly, vertical movement of :the piston 5 will open andclose the ports 4, as

shown by the two positions of the piston in j 'Figures land 2.

A spider 5 is mounted lwithin the cylinder. I and rests on a shoulder'IY provided on theunper o .the cylinder. The sleeve 2 bearsfagainstttlie'top'oi ',tlrespider, thus holding this spider remoi/ablypositioned within the cylinder whereby removal of the sleeve 2 byreleasing the set screw will also enable the spider 6 to be removed forcleaning purposes. A valve 8 is positioned in the bottom of the cylinderl and seats against the bottom of this cylinder. The valve 8 is held ona stem ,9 by the nut I0 and removal of this nut permits the valve S tobe removed from the stem 9. The stem fits within a guide II on thespider t, thus guiding the valve 8 in its reciprocal movement.

A valve block l2 is attached to the upper end of the stem 9, preferablyby threading this block into the stem. A spring I3 bears vagainst thevalve block AI2 and against the spider 6, thus urging the valve 8 to aclosed position, as shown in Figure l. The valve block fits looselywithin the spider ii, that is, a space I4 is provided around the` valvewhen in closed position to permit the dough to force itself upwardly dueto expansion of the dough when its temperature is raised. Thistemperature rise will occur whenever the dispenser does not undergo usefor some time whereby the heat contained in the frying grease over whichit is positioned is transferred to the dough.

`A, cutter ring I5 is slidably mounted on the outside of the cylinder Iand this cutter ring is reciprocated by the iinger I6, as described inthe co-pending application above described.

Operation ln operation, as soon as the piston 5 starts movingdownwardly, pressure will be exerted on the dough within the sleeve 2and the valve block I 2 will be pressed downwardly to the position shownin Figure 2. This downward movement of the valve block I2 will also movethe valve 3 downward providing the annular space I'l, through which thedough passes to form the doughnut. When the piston 5 rcompletely closesthe ports the cutter ring I5 will be moved downwardly by the lingers I6and willV cut oi the ring of dough, Adropping it downwardly into thefrying grease, Upward movement of the piston'i will cause'a partialvacuurn'withinthesleeve 2, thus drawing the valve 8 to Yitsv closedposition, shown in Figure 1. In'the vclosedposition of the valve 8, thevalve block I2 will partially close the spider 6, however, expansion ofthe dough above the valves, vis still permitted dueto the 'space I4.

Having described my invention, IV claim:

l. A` doughnut dough dispenser comprising a cylinder, said cylinderincluding a coa'i'rial sleeve portion at its upper end, said sleeveportionfhav-V ing intake ports formed adjacent*itsvupperend throughwhich .dough is adapted tomove, a'pis'ton reciprocally ,mounted in. the,cylindenusaidpiston being movable overfsaidports, cutter means on thelower end of said cylinder, a transverse wall in said cylinder below thepiston, said wall having a hole extending therethrough, a valve blockmounted for vertical movement relative to said hole, said valve blockbeing adapted to incompletely close the hole in one position of thevalve block.

2. A doughnut dough dispenser comprising a cylinder, said cylinderincluding a coaxial sleeve portion at its upper end, said sleeve portionhaving intake ports formed adjacent its upper end through which dough isadapted to move, a piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder, saidpiston being movable over said ports, cutter means on the lower end ofsaid cylinder, including a ring reciprocally mounted on thev lower endof said cylinder, a transverse wall in said cylinder below the piston,said wall having a hole extending therethrough, a valve block mountedfor vertical movement relative to said hole, said valve block beingadapted to incompletely close the hole in one position of the valveblock.

3. A doughnut dough dispenser comprising a cylinder, said cylinderVincluding a coaxial sleeve portion at its upper end, said sleeve portionhaving intake ports formed adjacent its upper end thereof and throughwhich dough is adapted to f move, a piston reciprocally mounted in thecylinder, said piston being movable over said ports, a valve seated inthe lower end of said cylinder, a stem rising from said valve, atransverse wall in said cylinder below the piston, a spider on saidwall, said stem extending through and guided by the spider, saidtransverse wall having a hole therein, and a valve block mounted on saidstem and movable vertically relative to said hole in the spider toincompletely close the hole in one position of the valve block.

4. A doughnutV dough dispenser comprising a cylinder, said cylinderincluding a coaxial sleeve portion at its upper end, said sleeve portionhaving intake ports formed adjacent its upper end thereof andv throughwhich dough is adapted to move, a pistonreciprocally mounted in thecylinder, said piston being movable over said ports, a valve seated inthe lower end of said cylinder, a

stem rising from said valve, a transverse wall in L said cylinder belowthe piston, a spider on said wall, said stem extending through andguided by the spider, said transverse wall having a hole therein, and avalve block mounted on said stem and movable verticallyrela-tive to saidhole in the spider to incompletely' close the hole in one position ofthe valve block, cutter means on the lower end of said cylinder, saidcutter means comprising a ring reciprocally mounted on the cylinder.

5. A doughnut dough dispenser comprising ai cylinder, said cylinderincluding a coaxial sleeve portion at its upper end, said sleeve portionhaving intake ports formed adjacent its upper end thereof and throughwhich dough is adapted to move, a piston reciprocally mounted inthecylinder, said piston being movable over said ports, a valve seatedin the'lower end of said cylinder, a stem rising from said valve, atransverse wall in' said cylinder below the piston, a spider on saidwall, said stem extending through and guided by the spider, saidtransverse wall having a hole therein, and ar valve block mounted onsaid stem and movable vertically relative to said hole in the spider toincompletely close the hole in one position of the valve block, and.spring means engaging the valve block to urge said valve and valve blockinto closed position.

6.. A doughnut dough dispenser comp-rising a cylinder, said cylinderincluding a coaxial sleeve eil portion at its upper end, said sleeveportion having intake ports formed adjacent its upper end thereof andthrough which dough is adapted to move, a piston reciprocally mounted inthe cylinder, said piston being movable over said ports. a valve seatedin the lower end of said cylinder, a stem rising from said valve, atransverse wall in said cylinder below the piston, a spider on saidwall, said stem extending through and guided by the spider, saidtransverse wall having a hole therein, and a valve block mounted on saidstem and movableV vertically relative to said hole in the spider toincompletely close the hole in one position of the valve block, cuttermeans on the lower end of said cylinder, said cutter means comprising aring reciprocally mounted on the cylinder, and a spring means engagingthe valve block to urge said' valve and valve block into closedposition.

'7. A doughnut dough dispenser comprising a cylinder, a sleeve risingfrom the cylinder, means detachably securing the sleeve to the cylinder,said sleeve having intake ports therein, through which dough is adaptedto pass, a piston recprocally mounted in the sleeve, a transverse wallin the cylinder, said transverse wall having a hole extendingtherethrough, a valve seated in the lower end of the' cylinder, a stemrising from the valve, a valve block on the upper end of said stein,said valve block beingmovablerelative to said hole as the valve moves toopen and close said hole, and spring means engaging the valve block tourge said valve and valve block into closed position.

8. A doughnut dough1 dispenser comprising a cylinder, a sleeve risingfrom the cylinder, means detachably securing the sleeve to the cylinder,said sleeve having intake ports therein, through which dough is adaptedto pass, a piston reciprocally mounted in the sleeve, a transverse wallin the cylinder, said transverse wall having a hole extendingtherethrough, a valve seated in the lower end of the cylinder,` a stemrising from the valve, a valve block on the upper end of said f stem,said valve block being movable relative to said hole as the valve movesto open and close said hole, and spring means engaging the valve blockto urge said valve and valve block into closed position, a spiderdepending from said wall, said valve stem being journalled in thespider, and a cutter ring reciprocally mounted on the lower end of thecylinder.

9. A doughnut dough dispenser comprising, a vertically extendingcylindrical member formed with ports in its upper walls through whichdough is adapted to move, a piston mounted for vertical reciprocalmovement in said piston over said ports, a transverse. wallin saidcylindrical member positioned below the lowest point reached by saidpiston as it is reciprocated. said wall being formed with` a hole, avalve block mounted for vertical movement relative to said hole, saidvalve block being adapted to incompletely close the hole in o-neposition of said valve block.

EDWARD H. NAGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,024,428 Carpenter Dec. 17, 19352,256,617 Kipnis Sept. 23, 1941

